Monday, August 3, 2009

Micro Toads

The toad you se in this top picture is not what it appears to be. Make no mistake, it is indeed a toad. It's just a very small toad. In fact, this toad is probably only the size of a small child's fingernail. If you didn't look twice, you might mistake it for an insect.

I saw several of these on the trail the other day, and I've been waiting for these creatures to come back for years. The first time I saw them they were even much smaller than this. And back then there were thousands, maybe even millions, of these micro toads roaming the trails.


This year there were only a few, but that is still enough for me to know for sure that I wasn't imagining things. I wasn't so sure a short time ago. While at another park, I saw what looked like these microscopic toads on one of the trails at the back. When I looked closer it turned out to be ugly little spiders, and there were millions swarming around me. Uughhh!!

Ever since that incident I thought maybe my long ago tiny toads were a figment of my imagination. Now I know for a fact that my little hopping toads were as real as those awful arachnids, and the toads will probably eat those sinister spiders. Let's move this on to be a little more pleasant.

Here is another of the toads I found on the trail. This one was at a completely different part of the park from the other one. This is not one of the largest parks you'll ever find, but it's big enough to give you a nice workout if you hike through it. Most normal people don't make it all the way to the back.

The point is that these toads are not just confined to one area of the park. I was finding them in every area that is dark, and at all ends of the park. At one point I thought I stepped on one and killed it or injured it badly. They are very hard to see, and it was too late for me to move my foot. I found nothing when I checked, but I agonized over this for two days!

Death is a part of nature, but I just don't want to be the one responsible. I'll eat the hamburger, I just don't want to be the one that butchers the animal to get the meat. Wait, wait! Here's another one to lighten the mood. I'll drive the car, but I don't want to be the one to build it. Ha!

Finally, the point is that I found my toads! These were some of the first great wonders of my hiking experiences. It happened long before this blog, and I've been waiting for the return ever since. This is a little incomplete since there aren't the millions I hoped for, but they do indeed exist and now I am satisfied!

16 comments:

  1. Okay first a red dragonfly and now a microscopic toad. you are just a show off!!

    But, I sure am glad you are!! these are very cool Ratty!!

    Happy week!!:-)

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  2. Those are really tiny toads! It's good to know or validate a certain thing for sure..

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  3. Oh I have a question. I do so hope you can pop over and give me the answer.

    Where did you get your top droppers widget?

    http://shinade.blogspot.com

    I have seen them all over and can't find them. I would love to have one!!

    Thanks in advance either way!
    Jackie:-)

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  4. Those are tiny little fellas, good photos. I haven't seen any that small in a really long time.

    I'm glad you found them so you could share them with us.

    Have a great day,
    SQ

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  5. Fun! When I was younger, my friend and I used to find tiny toads by her grandparent's lake. They were grey in color and about the size of my little toe nail.

    Always a joy reading about your adventures!

    ~Jen

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  6. So nice of you to share your love of nature and all of your finds. Since I can't see for crap I'd probably squish them all and not know it so maybe it's a good idea for me to stay out of parks.

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  7. you are right, they certainly don't appear as what they really are like, at first look, they look like huge, but if compared with the surrounding, they are indeed very tiny.

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  8. I am so glad you found your toads!
    I think I have seen them here a long time ago...we were hiking up to a mountaintop and they were jumping all around the trail. I haven't seen the since, either.
    So terrific that you got photos of them too!

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  9. Ha ha.. Try to catch up, kind of tight up thses few days.

    I enlarged the picture, but can't fid the toad. It must be a real small one.

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  10. Maybe they all got stepped on.

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  11. I adore toads!! Around here, they are currently about the size of the first joint of my index finger, and are nearly black...they are just so cute. I love the big ones, too, and you know they are a sign of a healthy ecosystem, right?

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  12. Hopefully you didn't step on one of them Ratty. They are so tiny!

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  13. wow, itty bitty little creatures, how did you ever spot them. i also would feel extremely awful if i were to step on something like that. i'm glad it didn't happen.

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  14. Shinade - You caught me! I am indeed a show off. That's why I have this blog. :)
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    Icy - Yeah, I was beginning to think I imagined them when I saw them before.
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    Shinade - I hope my explanation at your blog, and the one in today's post helped.
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    SquirrelQueen - I'm glad I found them too. I was beginning to think I never saw them before at all.
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    JStantonChandler - I'm glad I'm not the only one who has seen them. I have wanted to show them to somebody since that first time.
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    Jude - I probably squished a few of them myself, but only because they are so small and hard to see. I just try not to think of that part.
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    Betchai - I was a little worried I wouldn't be able to demonstrate how small they really are. They look like any other toads.
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    The Retired One - That's exactly how they were here when I first saw them. Maybe there was a toad year where they thrived.
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    Rainfield - The toad in that picture is right in the center. It is very tiny there and it is almost the same color as the ground around it. I hope that helps. :)
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    Lin - I think I probably stepped on a few of them.
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    WillOaks Studio - Actually I didn't know that about the ecosystem, but I'm glad I do now. I'd love to see a black toad.
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    VanillaSeven - I think I probably stepped on several of them. I just don't want to know about it. I feel bad even when I squish a bug.
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    PJ - They are easy to spot when they start hopping around. You can't see them when they are still. I probably did step on some, but I try not to think about it.

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  15. Great post Ratty!! These little toads are my favorite subject! I waited from when I was ten years old till I moved here 12 years ago to see another one of these tiny creatures. I was so excited when I first saw them that I had to bring a few into the house and study them. I didn't have a digital camera back then and the pictures weren't that great. But last year when they came hopping down near my window I grabbed one with my long handled grabber and brought him into the house and took a lot of photos of him. You can see him on my other blog, "My Animal Stories. I haven't spotted any yet this year but they will be here soon. It's August. That's usually when I see them. I used to think they stayed tiny but they are just baby toads I guess.

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  16. Ginnymo - You know how interesting these tiny toads are then. They may just be babies, but I always thought they would already be bigger when they became toads, until I saw these little ones. I'm glad we both got to see these toads again. I still hope to see the millions, like I saw before, one day again.

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